Broken 180 Drive (again)

[odiemike86]

This will be the 4th breakdown for my 180 drive in the 3 or so years i have owned it. Last weekend it was a snapped idler cable and this week its broken teeth. Every single tooth on the chain sprocket is sheared off. I have noticed over the past few months that some of the teeth were loose.  I waited too long to sell my 2019 outback now im stuck with a useless toothless whore of a 180 drive. On a v2 drive this would be a $25 fix but on a 180 drive it is $375 to replace the spline. I searched this and other forums and it is a known problem that Hobie has ignored. Matt Miller indicated on the ******** that it is likely due to use in silty environments, he says they see accelerated wear on 180 drives used in marshy/silty areas. The entire spline is useless so i figured i'd try to repair before i give Hobie another $400.  I predrilled some small holes in the sprocket, applies some JB Weld and screwed 3x 3/4" stainless screws in. I'm going to test it on the water later this week and peddle full speed. 

 

F Hobie

 

[EricM]

This thing is such a piece of crap. I've had mine for about 1/3rd the amount of time that I've had the V1 drive and the V1 drive has never broken down.

I recently sheared off holes number 6 and 7 on the height setting of the right foot. Need to figure out what to do about that. 

 

At least Hobbie got to save a few pennies during production. 

[The Riddler]

I need to sell my 180 with turbos. I have 2 GT's brand new on standby. 

[JAL]

My Pungo and a paddle have never broken down... over ten years on them.

[odiemike86]

18 mins ago, The Riddler said:

I need to sell my 180 with turbos. I have 2 GT's brand new on standby. 

I have 2 GT drives as backup but i have become too reliant on the reverse. I may need to relearn how to live without reverse until i get a new yak

[The Riddler]

1 min ago, odiemike86 said:

I have 2 GT drives as backup but i have become too reliant on the reverse. I may need to relearn how to live without reverse until i get a new yak

Or buy a PDL. You're in the Outback right? Any of the PDL's from Old Town will work. Dependable, no cracked hulls minimal problems on the drive.  

Edited September 28, 2021 by The Riddler

[odiemike86]

14 mins ago, The Riddler said:

Or buy a PDL. You're in the Outback right? Any of the PDL's from Old Town will work. Dependable, no cracked hulls minimal problems on the drive.  

Yea im in an outback. My next kayak will definitely be an Old Town. I just need to test a few so see which one i can stand up on comfortably and is not too heavy top put on a ladder rack. Im looking at the sportsman salty pld 120

 

[odiemike86]

took the kayak out to a local lake to test the fix. It seems to have worked. I peddled across the lake at 5mph full force and the chain held fine. Hopefully it holds and i can avoid giving hobie another $375. I will keep my v2 strapped to the back of my yak for now on

 

[cheech]

Glad it worked out. Did the idler cable break towards the middle, at the swage or elsewhere?

[odiemike86]

2 hours ago, cheech said:

Glad it worked out. Did the idler cable break towards the middle, at the swage or elsewhere?

Thanks! 

Yea idler cable was broken close to the middle

[Rick67]

On 9/28/2021 at 8:36 AM, odiemike86 said:

This will be the 4th breakdown for my 180 drive in the 3 or so years i have owned it. Last weekend it was a snapped idler cable and this week its broken teeth. Every single tooth on the chain sprocket is sheared off. I have noticed over the past few months that some of the teeth were loose.  I waited too long to sell my 2019 outback now im stuck with a useless toothless whore of a 180 drive. On a v2 drive this would be a $25 fix but on a 180 drive it is $375 to replace the spline. I searched this and other forums and it is a known problem that Hobie has ignored. Matt Miller indicated on the ******** that it is likely due to use in silty environments, he says they see accelerated wear on 180 drives used in marshy/silty areas. The entire spline is useless so i figured i'd try to repair before i give Hobie another $400.  I predrilled some small holes in the sprocket, applies some JB Weld and screwed 3x 3/4" stainless screws in. I'm going to test it on the water later this week and peddle full speed. 

 

F Hobie

 

Toothless whore.  What more do you need?

[charliestriper]

Very innovative repair.

My only concern is for this drive to break down again when you are further out than you'd like to be without the drive.

(The new variation of "Up a creek without a paddle.")

[odiemike86]

9 hours ago, charliestriper said:

Very innovative repair.

My only concern is for this drive to break down again when you are further out than you'd like to be without the drive.

(The new variation of "Up a creek without a paddle.")

Thanks, It is still holding strong, i'm pretty sure stainless screws are stronger than the junk chinnesium hobie plastic.  To avoid being out far with a drive failure I now take my V-2 drive out as a backup when ever i launch because its a matter of time before the 180 drive will fail again.

[charliestriper]

3 hours ago, odiemike86 said:

Thanks, It is still holding strong, i'm pretty sure stainless screws are stronger than the junk chinnesium hobie plastic.  To avoid being out far with a drive failure I now take my V-2 drive out as a backup when ever i launch because its a matter of time before the 180 drive will fail again.

Brilliant!

[Africaster]

4 hours ago, odiemike86 said:

Thanks, It is still holding strong, i'm pretty sure stainless screws are stronger than the junk chinnesium hobie plastic.  To avoid being out far with a drive failure I now take my V-2 drive out as a backup when ever i launch because its a matter of time before the 180 drive will fail again.

It’s a brilliant idea and hoping it’s a long term solution … the only weakness is that the super strong stainless screws are embedded in the chinnesium Hobie plastic and hence are only as strong as it